There are a lot of studies proving both the negative and positive effects of online games, like those you can find on Game Karma. For example, Canadian scientists have identified a decrease in the amount of gray matter in the brain’s hippocampus. However, according to them, action video games develop visual attention and other brain abilities. Let us discover other aspects of this topic.
Online games and brain
A group of scientists from the Canadian University proved that playing online reduces the level of the stress hormone cortisol and improves the cognitive function of the brain. A number of studies have found that computer games help restore the activity of the frontal lobes and improve memory and concentration. This is especially true for older people.
A team of British neuroscientists even released a game called Sea Quest Hero to study senile dementia. Thanks to it, Alzheimer’s Research UK employees have received data from 6 million users and hope to come up with a method for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease to identify risk groups. The center’s chief researcher was confident that the game itself can be disease prevention. At least, we already know for sure that if we train the brain, as we train the body, it is good for it, reduces the risk of dementia, or slows down its progression.
In addition, studies show:
- An increase in the volume of short-term memory in players;
- The development of abilities for orientation in space;
- Many games train a skill relevant in the modern world, which is called multitasking.
However, it is both praised and criticized because when multitasking, a person spends more time and resources and loads the nervous system more.
When I play, do I waste time?
In 2014, Forbes wrote about a study made by Oxford professor Andrey Przybylski. Based on observation and communication with 4899 children aged 10 to 15, the professor stated that online games help children develop a reaction, intelligence, and communication skills. In his work, he said that online games are not much different from ordinary ones.
In addition, sometimes, they force you to do several actions at once. Arcades involve building strategies and simultaneously completing urgent tasks. This can improve multitasking, which is very useful in the 21st century. American scientists from the University of Rochester discovered this 15 years ago.
Another example of benefiting from virtual gaming is e-sports, which is recognized as an official sport in many countries and may even be included in the Olympic Games in the future.
However, psychologists insist that, in addition to virtual activity, it is important to have interests and hobbies in real life because no game can replace the warmth of human communication and will not share important experiences with you. Using the game to kill time is also not a good idea. There is a lot of research on dopamine reward, which plays a big role in today’s entertainment industry.
Therefore, you should play responsibly to get only positive influence together with entertainment.